A 21-year-old Penn State student remained in critical condition Thursday at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, four days after a collision in downtown State College.
Kevin R. Ignatuk, an engineering major from Thornton, was struck by a borough police car on the 400 block of East Beaver Avenue. He was legally intoxicated when he crossed into the path of the vehicle, a Chevrolet Tahoe, according to police reports.
Ignatuk suffered head and leg injuries that were visible at the scene, police said. The officer driving the Tahoe, Sgt. Bill Muse, estimated he was traveling five mph to 10 mph over the posted speed limit of 25 mph when the crash happened.
A witness, Penn State student Tommee Gordon, told StateCollege.com on Wednesday that Ignatuk did not appear to see the Tahoe approaching.
‘There was a horrible sound, the kid was in the air, and his shoe came flying off,’ Gordon wrote in an e-mail message. ‘In my opinion, yes, (Ignatuk) did cross at an inopportune time. However, I also think that the officer was going well over the speed limit. …
‘It was Saturday of Blue-White weekend. Kids walk on the street all of the time,’ Gordon wrote. ‘State College police should be familiar of this and always be paying attention.’
A crash investigator said Tuesday that it was too soon to know whether excessive speed helped to cause the accident. An investigation, led by state police, is continuing.
Earlier coverage on StateCollege.com: State Police Take Charge in Pedestrian-Crash Probe
